The present invention relates to olefin polymerization catalysts comprising a transition metal compound and to an olefin polymerization process using the olefin polymerization catalysts.
As olefin polymerization catalysts, xe2x80x9cKaminsky catalystsxe2x80x9d are well known. The Kaminsky catalysts have extremely high polymerization activities, and by the use of them, polymers of narrow molecular weight distribution can be obtained. Transition metal compounds known as components employable for the Kaminsky catalysts are, for example, bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 19309/1983) and ethylenebis(4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindenyl)zirconium dichloride (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 130314/1986). It is also known that the olefin polymerization activities or the properties of the resulting polyolefins greatly vary when different transition metal compounds are used in the polymerization. Recently, transition metal compounds having a ligand of diimine structure have been proposed as novel olefin polymerization catalysts (see International Patent Publication No. 9623010).
By the way, polyolefins generally have excellent mechanical properties, so that they are used in many fields such as fields of various molded products. However, with variation of requirements for the polyolefins, polyolefins of various properties have been desired in recent years. Moreover, increase of productivity has been also desired.
Under such circumstances as mentioned above, there has been desired development of an olefin polymerization catalyst having an excellent olefin polymerization activity and capable of producing polyolefins of excellent properties.
It is an object of the invention to provide an olefin polymerization catalyst comprising a transition metal compound and having an excellent olefin polymerization activity and to provide an olefin polymerization process using the catalyst.
The first olefin polymerization catalyst according to the invention comprises:
(A) a transition metal compound which is obtained by bond-forming reaction of a compound represented by the following formula (a) with a metallic compound represented by the following formula (e) and in which the molar ratio of ligands to metal atoms is in the range of 1 to 6, said ligands being derived from the compound of the formula (a) and bonded to said metal atoms, and optionally
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:
(B-1) an organometallic compound,
(B-2) an organoaluminum oxy-compound, and
(B-3) a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound (A) to form an ion pair; 
xe2x80x83wherein
A is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a nitrogen atom having a bonding group xe2x80x94R5,
D is xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Si(R9)(R10)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(O)(R11)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(R12)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94,
Z is a bonding group of N and represents xe2x80x94R13 and xe2x80x94R14, xe2x95x90C(R15)R16 or xe2x95x90NR17, and
R1 to R17 may be the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, an oxygen-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and two or more of them may be bonded to each other to form a ring;
MXkxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(e)
xe2x80x83wherein
M is a transition metal atom of Group 3 to Group 11 of the periodic table,
k is a number satisfying a valence of M, and
X is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, an oxygen-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a halogen-containing group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and when k is 2 or greater, plural groups X may be the same or different, and may be bonded to each other to form a ring.
The second olefin polymerization catalyst according to the invention comprises:
(A) a transition metal compound which is obtained by bond-forming reaction of a compound represented by the following formula (b) with a metallic compound represented by the above formula (e) and in which the molar ratio of ligands to metal atoms is in the range of 1 to 6, said ligands being derived from the compound of the formula (b) and bonded to said metal atoms, and optionally
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:
(B-1) an organometallic compound,
(B-2) an organoaluminum oxy-compound, and
(B-3) a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound (A) to form an ion pair; 
xe2x80x83wherein
A is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a nitrogen atom having a bonding group xe2x80x94R5,
D is xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Si(R9)(R10)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(O)(R11)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(R12)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, and
R1 to R13 may be the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, an oxygen-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and two or more of them may be bonded to each other to form a ring.
The third olefin polymerization catalyst according to the invention comprises:
(A) a transition metal compound which is obtained by bond-forming reaction of a compound represented by the following formula (c) with a metallic compound represented by the above formula (e) and in which the molar ratio of ligands to metal atoms is in the range of 1 to 6, said ligands being derived from the compound of the formula (c) and bonded to said metal atoms, and optionally
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:
(B-1) an organometallic compound,
(B-2) an organoaluminum oxy-compound, and
(B-3) a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound (A) to form an ion pair; 
xe2x80x83wherein
A is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a nitrogen atom having a bonding group xe2x80x94R5,
D is xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Si(R9)(R10)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(O)(R11)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(R12)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94, and
R1 to R13 may be the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, an oxygen-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and two or more of them may be bonded to each other to form a ring.
The fourth olefin polymerization catalyst according to the invention comprises:
(A) a transition metal compound which is obtained by bond-forming reaction of a compound represented by the following formula (d) with a metallic compound represented by the above formula (e) and in which the molar ratio of ligands to metal atoms is in the range of 1 to 6, said ligands being derived from the compound of the formula (d) and bonded to said metal atoms, and optionally
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:
(B-1) an organometallic compound,
(B-2) an organoaluminum oxy-compound, and
(B-3) a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound (A) to form an ion pair; 
xe2x80x83wherein
A is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a nitrogen atom having a bonding group xe2x80x94R5,
D is xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Si(R9)(R10)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(O)(R11)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(R12)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94,
Z is a bonding group of N and represents xe2x80x94R13 and xe2x80x94R14, xe2x95x90C(R15)R16 or xe2x95x90NR17, and
R1 to R17 may be the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, an oxygen-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and two or more of them may be bonded to each other to form a ring.
The fifth olefin polymerization catalyst according to the invention comprises:
(A) a transition metal compound represented by the following formula (I), and optionally
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:
(B-1) an organometallic compound,
(B-2) an organoaluminum oxy-compound, and
(B-3) a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound (A) to form an ion pair; 
xe2x80x83wherein
M is a transition metal atom of Group 3 to Group 11 of the periodic table,
m is an integer of 1 to 6,
A is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a nitrogen atom having a bonding group xe2x80x94R5,
D is xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Si(R9)(R10)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(O)(R11)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(R12)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94,
Z is a bonding group of N and represents xe2x80x94R13 and xe2x80x94R14, xe2x95x90C(R15)R16 or xe2x95x90NR17,
R1 to R17 may be the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, an oxygen-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, two or more of them may be bonded to each other to form a ring, and when m is a plural number, one group of R1 to R17 contained in one ligand and one group of R1 to R17 contained in other ligands may be bonded, and R1s, R2s, R3s, R4s, R5s, R7s, R8s, R9s, R10s, R11s, R12s, R13s, R14s, R15s, R16s, or R17s may be the same or different, respectively,
n is a number satisfying a valence of M, and
X is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, an oxygen-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a halogen-containing group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and when n is 2 or greater, plural groups X may be the same or different, and may be bonded to each other to form a ring.
The sixth olefin polymerization catalyst according to the invention comprises:
(A) a transition metal compound represented by the following formula (II), and optionally
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:
(B-1) an organometallic compound,
(B-2) an organoaluminum oxy-compound, and
(B-3) a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound (A) to form an ion pair; 
xe2x80x83wherein
M is a transition metal atom of Group 3 to Group 11 of the periodic table,
m is an integer of 1 to 6,
A is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a nitrogen atom having a bonding group xe2x80x94R5,
D is xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Si(R9)(R10)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(O)(R11)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(R12)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94,
R1 to R13 may be the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, an oxygen-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, two or more of them may be bonded to each other to form a ring, and when m is a plural number, one group of R1 to R13 contained in one ligand and one group of R1 to R13 contained in other ligands may be bonded, and R1s, R2s, R3s, R4s, R5s, R6s, R7s, R8s, R9s, R10s, R11s, R12s, or R13s may be the same or different, respectively,
n is a number satisfying a valence of M, and
X is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, an oxygen-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a halogen-containing group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and when n is 2 or greater, plural groups X may be the same or different, and may be bonded to each other to form a ring.
The seventh olefin polymerization catalyst according to the invention comprises:
(A) a transition metal compound represented by the following formula (III), and optionally
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:
(B-1) an organometallic compound,
(B-2) an organoaluminum oxy-compound, and
(B-3) a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound (A) to form an ion pair; 
xe2x80x83wherein
M is a transition metal atom of Group 3 to Group 11 of the periodic table,
m is an integer of 1 to 3,
A is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a nitrogen atom having a bonding group xe2x80x94R5,
D is xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Si(R9)(R10)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(O)(R11)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(R12)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94,
R1 to R13 may be the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, an oxygen-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, two or more of them may be bonded to each other to form a ring, and when m is a plural number, one group of R1 to R13 contained in one ligand and one group of R1 to R13 contained in other ligands may be bonded, and R1s, R2s, R3s, R4s, R5s, R7s, R8s, R9s, R10s, R11s, R12s, or R13s may be the same or different, respectively
n is a number satisfying a valence of M, and
X is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, an oxygen-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a halogen-containing group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and when n is 2 or greater, plural groups X may be the same or different, and may be bonded to each other to form a ring.
The eighth olefin polymerization catalyst according to the invention comprises:
(A) a transition metal compound represented by the following formula (IV), and optionally
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:
(B-1) an organometallic compound,
(B-2) an organoaluminum oxy-compound, and
(B-3) a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound (A) to form an ion pair; 
xe2x80x83wherein
M is a transition metal atom of Group 3 to Group 11 of the periodic table,
m is an integer of 1 to 6,
A is an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a nitrogen atom having a bonding group xe2x80x94R5,
D is xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Si(R9)(R10)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(O)(R11)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(R12)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94,
Z is a bonding group of N and represents xe2x80x94R13 and xe2x80x94R14, xe2x95x90C(R15)R16 or xe2x95x90NR17,
R1 to R17 may be the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, an oxygen-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, two or more of them may be bonded to each other to form a ring, and when m is a plural number, one group of R1 to R17 contained in one ligand and one group of R1 to R17 contained in other ligands may be bonded, and R1s, R2s, R3s, R4s, R5s, R6s, R7s, R8s, R9s, R10s, R11s, R12s, R13s, R14s, R15s, R16s, or R17s may be the same or different, respectively,
n is a number satisfying a valence of M, and
X is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, an oxygen-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a halogen-containing group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and when n is 2 or greater, plural groups X may be the same or different, and may be bonded to each other to form a ring.
The ninth olefin polymerization catalyst according to the invention comprises:
(A) a transition metal compound represented by the following formula (V), and optionally
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of:
(B-1) an organometallic compound,
(B-2) an organoaluminum oxy-compound, and
(B-3) a compound which reacts with the transition metal compound (A) to form an ion pair; 
xe2x80x83wherein
M is a transition metal atom of Group 3 to Group 11 of the periodic table,
m is an integer of 0 to 6, p is an integer of 0 to 6, q is an integer of 0 to 3, r is an integer of 0 to 6, three or more of them is not 0 at the same time, and they are numbers satisfying the conditions of m+p+q+rxe2x89xa66 and m+p+2qxe2x89xa66,
A, Axe2x80x2, Axe2x80x3 and Axe2x80x3xe2x80x2 may be the same or different and are each an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a nitrogen atom having a bonding group xe2x80x94R5 (or xe2x80x94R5xe2x80x2, xe2x80x94R5xe2x80x3 and xe2x80x94R5xe2x80x3xe2x80x2 correspondingly to Axe2x80x2, Axe2x80x3 and Axe2x80x3xe2x80x2, respectively, and the same shall apply hereinafter),
D, Dxe2x80x2, Dxe2x80x3 and Dxe2x80x3xe2x80x2 may be the same or different and are each xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Si(R9)(R10)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94P(O)(R11)xe2x80x94, P(R12)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94SOxe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94,
Z and Zxe2x80x3xe2x80x2 may be the same or different and each of them is a bonding group of N and represents xe2x80x94R13 and xe2x80x94R14, xe2x95x90C(R15)R16 or xe2x95x90NR17,
R1 to R17, R1xe2x80x2 to R13xe2x80x2, R1xe2x80x3 to R13xe2x80x3, or R1xe2x80x3xe2x80x2 to R17xe2x80x2xe2x80x3 may be the same or different, they are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, an oxygen-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, two or more of them may be bonded to each other to form a ring, and in case of m+p+q+rxe2x89xa72, one group of R1 to R16, R1xe2x80x2 to R13xe2x80x2, R1xe2x80x3 to R13xe2x80x3, or R1xe2x80x3xe2x80x2 to R17xe2x80x3xe2x80x2 contained in one ligand and one group of R1 to R17, R1xe2x80x2 to R13xe2x80x2, R1xe2x80x3 to R13xe2x80x3, or R1xe2x80x3xe2x80x2 to R17xe2x80x3xe2x80x2 contained in other ligands may be bonded, and R1, R1xe2x80x2, R1xe2x80x3 and R1xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R2, R2xe2x80x2, R2xe2x80x3 and R2xe2x80x2xe2x80x3, R3, R3xe2x80x2, R3xe2x80x3 and R3xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R4, R4xe2x80x2, R4xe2x80x3 and R4xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R5, R5xe2x80x2, R5xe2x80x3 and R5xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R6, R6xe2x80x2, R6xe2x80x3 and R6xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R7, R7xe2x80x2, R7xe2x80x3 and R7xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R8, R8xe2x80x2, R8xe2x80x3 and R8xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R9, R9xe2x80x2, R9xe2x80x3 and R9xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R10, R10xe2x80x2, R10xe2x80x3 and R10xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R11, R11xe2x80x2, R11xe2x80x3 and R11xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R12, R12xe2x80x2, R12xe2x80x3 and R12xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R13, R13xe2x80x2, R13xe2x80x3 and R13xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R14 and R14xe2x80x2, R15 and R15xe2x80x3xe2x80x2, R16 and R16xe2x80x2xe2x80x3, or R17 and R17xe2x80x3xe2x80x2 may be the same or different, respectively,
n is a number satisfying a valence of M, and
X is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group, an oxygen-containing group, a sulfur-containing group, a nitrogen-containing group, a boron-containing group, an aluminum-containing group, a phosphorus-containing group, a halogen-containing group, a heterocyclic compound residual group, a silicon-containing group, a germanium-containing group or a tin-containing group, and when n is 2 or greater, plural groups X may be the same or different, and may be bonded to each other to form a ring.
In the olefin polymerization catalysts of the invention, the transition metal compound (A) is preferably a compound represented by any of the formulas (a) to (d) and (I) to (V) wherein D (including Dxe2x80x2, Dxe2x80x3 and Dxe2x80x3xe2x80x2 in the formula (V)) is xe2x80x94C(R7)(R8)xe2x80x94.
Also, the olefin polymerization catalysts according to the invention may further comprise a carrier (C) in addition to the transition metal compound (A) and at least one compound (B) selected from the group consisting of the organometallic compound (B-1), the organoaluminum oxy-compound (B-2) and the compound (B-3) which reacts with the transition metal compound (A).
The olefin polymerization process according to the invention comprises polymerizing or copolymerizing an olefin in the presence of any of above-mentioned catalysts.